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JOHN r MOLSON
scHooL or BUstNEss

GLOBAL BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT

coMM 211

Grouo P roiect
The objective of the group project is to provide students with a comprehensive learning
experience in the field of international business. This project aims to develop students' skills
in market analysis, strategic decision-making and ethical considerations in the context of
company expansion into a foreign market. Through this prpject, students will acquire an
understanding of the influence of global factors, including economic, political and cultural, on
international business. They will develop an understanding of the variations in busin ess
practices across different countries and grasp the intricacies of the internationalization
process. Additionally, students will gain an appreciation forthe significance of considering
ethical issues in the process.

Specifically, the following is a brief outline of the project.

PHASE'
,,}
ect a Canadian com DANV and research the
company's domestic market position, strategies, strengths, and weaknesses. Students
will also conduct an analysis of the company's domestic market, including target
market, and competitive landscape. This analysis will serve as a foundation for
identifying opportunities and challenges in international expansion. LZ>
two forei n

markets as potential ndidates for e nsto n. They will conduct thorough market
analyses of various factors, including market attractiveness, cultural fit, regulatory
environment, customer behavior, and the competitive landscape.
[3) > Comparative analysis: Considering the company profile and the two in -depth market
analyses, students will formulate a well-reasoned arg ument for the selection on one
foreign market for expansion

i
PHASE 2
Ll) modes (exPorling,
ive en try plan: Stu dents will evaluate d ifferent entry
the most suitable b d
licensing, joint venture or direct investmen t) and select
devise a comprehensive (-5)
on the compan v and market analYses Students will then
market' The plan will include
marketing an for ex pansion into the selected foreign
Pl
and Promotion,
strategies for position ing, product adaptation, pricing' distribution,
tailored to the target market's needs' L{,\
students will idgr.tify-gn{-e*Yaluate potential ethical isslles-
#Ethicat considerations:
strategies
associated with the company's international expansion. They will develop
labor
and guidelines to ensure ethical conduct in areas such as local sourcing,
practices, environ mental sustain ability, and cu ltu ral sensitivity'
*detailed guidelines provided on following pages

Proiectfpruat
pHASE 1and PHASE 2 reports should be submitted in a tabularlorm?t. Students have the
option to use the table template provided by the instructor (posted on [Voodle) or create their
own tables. lt is recommended to use bullet points to encourag e concise an swers, but it is
equally important to enggle cla!_V, cgmprehensiveness and-completeness in the responses.
Please submit your assignment in a 12-point font, preferably Times New Roman or Ariel. Use
bold for table headings, and italics for key terms or imporlant points. Ensu re that the entire
document is easily readable and maintains a professional appearance. All reports should be
uploaded on [rloodle in a word file

Proiect Sources

Students are encouraged to use va rious secondary resources to do the companv and [elrgt
anal Itis manda toa atel cite all seconda Neglecting to provide
valid references will be considered plagi arism.

phEASE 1: Smrmpeny affid trVlarket Anratrysis

1.1 Company Analysis

Choose a Canadian consumer product brand that currently operates in the Canadian market
(examples: Canada Goose, Lululemon, IVIEC, David's tea, Herschel, Tim Hortons).

.)
Corporate Profile

location,year itwasfounded and otherrelevantinformation (e.9., key personnel,

i n du stry recogn ition/awards, etc.).

on Statement: a statement that describes the company's purpose, values, and

g93ls Paraphrase in your own words.
an s revenues rofits and market
ghare lnclude a short explanation in case of significant increase or decrease in market
share / reven ue / profits.
efly describes the compan y's main target market(s)
1n=lCan ada, inclu din g demograph ic and psych og ra ph i c ch aracteristi cs

currently offers to the Canadian market, including their uniq ue features and benefits
(i.e., point of differentiation).
"You may choose to only focus on a subset of products offered by the company

promotion, tech nology (optional).

. Highlightwhich elements of the marketing mix (product, price, distribution, promotion)
represent competitive advantages for the company in the Canadian market.

describing the competitive landscape, and a list of the company's main competitors in
the Canadian market, including a description of their offerings, positioning, target
market, and market share.

including whetherthey use outsourced/in-house suppliers, manufacturers, distributors

en vi ron mental i n itiatives, an d su stai n abil ity efforts.

include year of expansion.

1.2 Foreign Market Analysis

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Each team will select TWO--- LOIJNTBES (excluding the United States) that represent
potential candidates for international expansion. After a thorough market analysis of both
foreign cou ntries, the grou p will justify the selection of one market for expansion, for wh ich
one comprehensive plan of entry will be devised in Phase 2.
*
After conducting the company analysis as a group, it is advised to split the group into two
subgroups of three sfudenfs each. Each subgroup will be responsible for analyzing one
foreign market. Once the analyses of the foreign markets are complete, the group will come
together to decide and provide reasoning for the ideal marketfor expansion.
** Use effective visualization
of information (maps, qraphs and fiq to supplement the
report and offer a more comprehensive analysis of the foreign markets.

what political party is currently ruling the country, and their main ideologies.

compl ia n ce procedu res, i n cl u d i n g trade barriers, i n du stry-specific regu lation s an d

policies (related to environment, health, etc.).

GNP, GNl, PPP, HDI), economicgrowth potential.

dimensions), language, religion, cultural elements in business and cultural trends

related to industry or product category of chosen brand.
*Cultural analysis should be done relative to Canadian culture (i.e., highlight similarities

and differences)

development, including availability and quality of infrastructure, telecommunications,

i nformation tech n ology.

and what does that entail. Specifically, any trade agreements with Canada?

describing the competitive landscape, and a detailed analysis of the market's major
competitors, including their market positioning, strategies (product, pricing, promotion,
distribution), strengths, weaknesses, and market share.

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 market's consumer behavior, including preferences, purchasing habits, attitudes
toward foreign products, industry-specific trends and preferences.

1.3 Comparative analysis

.Only use information you provided in company and market analyses, as well as lecture nofes
in order to complete the comparative analysis.
.specifically, refer to chapter 11 to complete this sfep - i.e', keep in mind that the PrimarY

obiectives of international b usiness relate to cost-reduction and /or

do vou select for the international expansion

y you chose the country listed above
y mightface when expanding to the selected
country, and draft a contingency plan to address the challenges.

PHAS H 2; Market Entry $trate gy

*
_Wllen submitting the PHASE 2 report, make sure to also resubmit a revised PHASE 1

. reoort. PHASE 1 revisions should reflect instructor feedback. All revisions should be
highlighted.

2.1 Select Entry Mode

*
Specifically, provide 5 valid reasons why you selected the specific entry mode
(versus others). Atlake sure to use arguments derived from your company and market
analyses, as well as course material (specifically chapters 7, 12, 13).
.Additiona\Iy,.proWe
? potellt ith the
selected entry mode and describe contingency plans that aim to address the
challenges.

5,
2.2 Select Strategy / Positioning

responsiveness. F irst identifv which positioninq the com pany will take (i.e., cost
reduction, OR local res , OR both), and then rovide a detailed account of
h the com n ans to achieve the ob s).

2.3 Comprehensive Marketing PIan

9@t(s), including demographic, psychograph ic

and cultural characteristics (*comparable description to the one done forthe Canadian
target market in 1 .1). *SllySnorce

company's positioning compared to current competitors in the foreign market, and

clearly describe the company's competitive advantage.

to the foreiqn market. Will the cpmpany standardize or adapt offering toJoreign target
ma rket. JlslifylygUtshoices.

2.4 Ethical Consideration

process, and describe the ethical dilemma.9gS,O"rtt areas olpotenlial

""following
ethical misconduct: local sourcing, labor practices,_environmental sUstainability,
culturalseng[!-y1ty,orother(thisisnotan exclusivelistof ethicalissuesin international
business).
a viable sol tion to d

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 y is sustainabil ity and social respon sibility impo rtant in international

"FqilLqss.

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